25 May 2022
With only a few days before the Eisteddfod yr Urdd opens its' doors in Denbighshire, a special programme on S4C will highlight the Urdd's work on a national stage.
In Cymru, Alabama a'r Urdd, which airs on Friday evening at 9.00, we join a group of talented young people who have a unique opportunity to use their voices to develop a historic transatlantic connection.
Côr yr Urdd (The Urdd Choir), was established as part of the Urdd's centenary celebrations and is made up of some of the winners of last year's Eisteddfod T.
Over Easter, the choir travelled to America to perform in a special concert with the gospel choir of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) - after a gospel masterclass workshop with the highly accomplished teacher, Reginald James Jackson.
Reginald said: "I want them to go back to Wales with this experience - this fun, energetic, alive experience that they'll talk about for a lifetime.
"Gospel music is life changing in terms of the depth and breadth of it but the understanding of it is also important.
"I'm so excited they have a chance to go to the civil rights museum and to 16th Avenue, so they understand the history of it as opposed to just the beauty of it, because it is beautiful but it has a rich history too."
And, of course, the friendship between Wales and the Afro American community in Birmingham, Alabama, began nearly sixty years ago.
Following the tragic events of 1963, when members of the Ku Klux Klan conducted a terrorist attack on 16th Street Baptist Church, the Welsh came together to support the community.
A stained-glass window, the 'Wales Window' designed and created by the Welshman, John Petts, was donated to the church in memory of the four young girls killed while at Sunday school.
Visiting the church and taking a moment to reflect in front of the impressive window, was therefore an emotional experience for the choir. This, along with visiting many other important landmarks, helped to enhance their understanding of the civil rights movement.
Walking over the Edmund Pettus bridge, a significant part of Martin Luther King's efforts to lead the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, one of the Choir's members, Catrin from Mold said: "You learn about this at school, you hear about it and it feels so far away, and now we're walking in their footsteps. It gets to you, this isn't a story, this isn't a movie, this is real life and the struggle is still on-going. It hits home how important this is."
While watching, the importance of extending a hand of friendship and solidarity is also striking.
Patrick Evans, Chair of the university's music department said: "Mutual musicianship, harmony, singing together and friendship are needed in our world now more than they ever have been.
"I know that this is doing enormous good in the world and I see it in their faces, in the faces of our students and in the faces of our Welsh friends."
There was a lot of excitement about the concert locally, and although Côr yr Urdd's conductor, Richard Vaughan, felt a little nervous about bringing an ensemble that had never performed publicly together before, there was no need to worry.
"This is the beginning of a relationship between the university and the Urdd," said Sian Eirian, Director of the Urdd Eisteddfod and the Arts.
"They are eager to come to Wales next year, and we hope they will be able to join us at the Urdd Eisteddfod and get a taste of the culture and all aspects of the Urdd's work in Wales."
"Tonight's performance was absolutely breath-taking. Seeing the audience in tears, and the special talent of our young people - we can only be proud."
And the verdict from the choir? "It's been an unforgettable experience, the trip of a life-time" says Cai Fôn from Bangor.
And to Joel, from Cardiff, who has started to learn Welsh very recently: "It's been life changing because it's allowed me to speak more Welsh and meet new people who I can speak Welsh with and express ourselves' through music, and just enjoy myself."
